Here’s my dream scenario for Saturday when the Steelers host Cincinnati at Acrisure Stadium:
Mason Rudolph throws for 350 yards and three touchdowns. Steelers put up 40-plus points, which seems impossible but also necessary because their defense has zero legit safeties and just one real inside linebacker. Steelers win.
Then, next week at Seattle, Kenny Pickett is recovered from injury and gets shoved back in the lineup despite Rudolph’s success. Steelers lose.
The Steelers then finish the season by upsetting a Baltimore team that’s resting most of its starters by way of readying for the playoffs. Coach Mike Tomlin preserves his record of never having a losing season. The players love Coach T.
I’m definitely rooting for Rudolph, who has never had a fair chance to become the Steelers’ starting quarterback.
You can argue that his talents didn’t merit such, but one thing is certain: Rudolph got bamboozled by Tomlin’s bogus “competition” that was held before last season.
Tomlin said the QB spot was up for grabs. Rudolph arguably performed best in the preseason. But the job was preordained to go to Mitch Trubisky first, then Kenny Pickett.
That’s Tomlin’s prerogative. But it’s one thing to be denied a chance to compete, another to have sunshine propelled up your backside.
Trubisky didn’t escape unscathed: It was reportedly promised that he would start at least through last season’s bye week. Eight games. But he was abruptly yanked at halftime of the Week 4 home loss to the New York Jets after a locker-room argument with Diontae Johnson, a Tomlin favorite.
But now Pickett is hurt. Trubisky stinks at a disturbing level. Who’s going to take their place?
No, the answer isn’t Jesus, though ‘tis the season. It’s Rudolph, and the Bengals will be Blitzen. (Sorry. Got caught up in the Christmas spirit.)
The Steelers figure to be ultra-conservative offensively, which they are even if it isn’t the third-string quarterback getting shotgun snaps rifled off his shins. (Mason Cole has got to go.)
But here’s hoping Rudolph goes into business for himself, or that the Steelers play to his strength, and lots of deep balls get thrown. Rudolph has a strong arm. He can go long. That might even get George Pickens interested. (In catching, not blocking.)
Rudolph is buried at third string. It’s no exaggeration to think that he’s playing for his career. Let Rudolph do what he does best. The Steelers have nothing to lose. At long last, be fair to Rudolph.
Rudolph has always had a bad rap in Pittsburgh.
He got picked in the third round of the 2018 draft, but the Steelers said they rated him a first-round talent. That raised expectations.
In 2019, when starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season to an elbow injury in Week 2, Rudolph went in.
Rudolph got badly concussed in Week 5 vs. Baltimore and had his face mask removed on the field. Photos of that made Rudolph look fragile and became a social media punchline.
Rudolph was accused of uttering a racial slur by Cleveland’s Myles Garrett when the Steelers visited the Browns in Week 11. (Garrett’s charge was never corroborated.) Garrett yanked off Rudolph’s helmet and swung it at his head. But Rudolph’s reputation suffered, and he again appeared weak.
Worse than anything, Rudolph ultimately lost the starting job to Duck Hodges, likely the Steelers’ worst starting quarterback ever.
Since then, Rudolph has had a one-way ticket to Palookaville. He didn’t take a single snap last season, nor this season ‘til now.
How can you not root for Rudolph?
Especially since he’s probably better than Pickett.
Rudolph’s career quarterback rating is higher: 80.8 to 78.8.
Rudolph has made 10 career starts, throwing two touchdown passes in a game five times. Pickett has done that once in 24 career starts.
Perhaps this isn’t a last gasp for Rudolph. Perhaps it’s the dawn of a glorious new era in Steelers quarterbacking. Maybe it’s a new beginning. Oh come, all ye faithful …
